U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is looking to stop federal control of land in West Texas.
Cruz, R-TX, along with U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock, introduced the No Federal Expansion Designation (FED) in West Texas Act on Thursday, April 30, which is designed to prevent future administrations from advancing plans to expand federal control over land in Texas.
“West Texas is vital to economic growth and energy for Texans, and decisions about its land should belong to Texans, not Washington bureaucrats,” Cruz said in a news release. “This bill will protect our communities from federal overreach, prevent land grabs that threaten jobs, and limit energy and agricultural development.”
Former President Joe Biden’s administration in 2024 finalized a Land Protection Plan to allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to buy private land or acquire conservation easements from willing sellers for up to 700,000 acres across Texas and New Mexico to expand the footprint of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge.
President Donald Trump squashed that plan in July 2025 — Cruz’s bill would prevent future presidents from enacting similar plans in a bid for long-term protection for Texas property owners.
“The Biden Administration finalized a plan to buy up 30% of the land in the U.S. by 2030, a significant part of which was expanding a wildlife refuge in West Texas by an outrageous 10,000%,” Arrington said in the release. “I applaud the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw the Biden Administration’s unnecessary and overreaching expansion of federal lands.
“I’m proud to have led the fight to defend our tax dollars, private property rights, and way of life by advancing legislation to prohibit and defund this federal land grab.”
Among the supporters of the bill is the Texas Farm Bureau, which hailed the bill as a safeguard for private property rights.
“Texas farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of their land, not the federal government,” TFB President Russell Boening said in the release. “The Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposal to dramatically expand federal designations in West Texas originated during the previous administration and threatened to significantly expand the federal footprint on private land.”
“While the Trump Administration’s Fish and Wildlife Service withdrew that plan, Sen. Ted Cruz’s ‘No Federal Expansion Designation in West Texas Act’ helps ensure it cannot be revived,” he continued. “Codifying this protection into law provides long term certainty for landowners and safeguards private property rights. Texas Farm Bureau urges Congress to pass this legislation and appreciates Sen. Cruz for leading this effort.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Ted Cruz introduces bill to stop federal land expansion in West Texas
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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